Heart Notes of Lifehttps://heartnotesoflife.com
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 ESVThu, 17 Aug 2017 21:24:54 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngHeart Notes of Lifehttps://heartnotesoflife.com
Cotton – candy promiseshttps://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/20/cotton-candy-promises/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/20/cotton-candy-promises/#respondThu, 20 Jul 2017 14:27:39 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=3377]]>“Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand.Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern,until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live, and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.”

2 Kings 18: 28 – 32

Ah, the promises of the world around us. The fleeting, disappearing promises of the world. Just like cotton candy, these promises disappear at the first hint of rain. We wrap our lives around the artificial sweetness of the world, layer upon layer of lies and empty promises. And then wonder where it went when the waters of life come.

And it is no different now than it was when Hezekiah was leading the people of Judah to follow the one true God. The world (Satan) will put things in front of us that fit with our idea of comfort and stability. He will reach watch us and wait until he sees a weakness, a gap, where we have not altogether turned our lives over to God and he will pounce with a fierceness that we won’t even know what hit us until it’s too late.

Let’s look at Satan’s “promises” in the opening verses and see how many of them appeal to us.

“I can keep you safe from all your enemies.” Satan plays on fear and anxiety, distrust and self – sufficiency. He will instill these emotions into our lives by pointing out the weaknesses in our leaders: in the churches, communities, families, government, and especially our homes. He will cause us to look at the failures, and we all have them, rather than the good that has been done through leaning on God. Just like in the Garden of Eden, Satan strives to bring doubt to our minds about God’s sovereignty and power. “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me.” But Satan can be brought down in this one thing. By pointing out the weaknesses in people, no matter what their rank in our lives, he is encouraging us to look to God and to trust in Him and the Word that He has GIVEN to these leaders. We should always rightly align God’s preached word with His written Word – the Bible.

“I will provide for your every want.” “Then each of you will eat of his won vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern.” Satan encourages “self.” Pride, annoyance with sharing, and fear of losing hold of life’s possessions are some of the tactics he uses to become greedy in holding on to what we own and not letting go. He promises that whatever you want in this life can be yours if you just kick the other person out of the way and grab it. Our families are splitting apart because fathers, and mothers, are working twelve to fourteen hours a day to “provide” for their families. Children are being raised in nurseries, preschools, and day cares from the time they are six months old and younger! And most of these are either public owned institutions where the Word of God is forbidden or private owned schools where the Word is limited to a denominational view. Where are the hugs and kisses of an involved Mommy when a child needs them? Love is not the issue; how we interpret that love is. Many mother’s must work outside of the home, but we must choose what is the better good for our children and spouse. And, please, don’t get me wrong, I know it is a tough world out there and money is not easy to come by. But there has to be a priority set. We must not let Satan determine what we “need.” God has designed the family to fill our every need. And it is not just the mother’s who are falling into the trap of living for their work, fathers are, too, if not more so. Gotta climb that ladder, gotta spend more time entertaining the client, gotta spend more hours at work. In my book, Submission is NOT a Four – letter Word, I wrote “God designed men to be the strong disciplinarians in the family and the reward is seeing their children grow up strong in the Lord and in their roles as men and women. Once grown, these adult children become accountable to God and His discipline….both men and women have the characteristics of God, but discipline of the children, the man is the strong one. The woman administers the rules of the house and disciplines to keep order, but it would take away from the woman another characteristic of God if she was the primary rule – setter and disciplinarian: that characteristic is nurturing the children.” Where are our children going to see God’s plan for the family if we refuse to let go of our wants and put them first.

“I will make you rich.” Ah, we’ve all had the dream of living the “good life.” Plenty of “grain and wine; bread and vineyards; olive trees and honey; that we may live and not die. Back to the Garden of Eden and Satan’s first attack on the family. “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it (the Tree of Knowledge), your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” We are encouraged to “live for the world.” Don’t hurt anyone’s feelings, let me live life on my terms, make my own decisions on what is good and what is evil. And the world promises that if we do this, we will have wealth and prosperity. God says in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” In the world, we desire wealth, fame, fortune. In God, we desire an honest life, a true family, and righteousness. God will replace the worldly, destructive desires we have in following Satan, with healing, rich desires for living a Christ – like life.

We are called to be strong in the Lord and His way; not our way. We are called to live life following His Word as our fulfillment, not the cotton candy sweetness that Satan uses to appeal to our earthly comforts. We are to give up the artificial sweetener of the world and feast on the honey of God.

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/20/cotton-candy-promises/feed/0heartnotesoflifecottoncandymedHear it like it is! And kneel.https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/19/hear-it-like-it-is-and-kneel/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/19/hear-it-like-it-is-and-kneel/#respondWed, 19 Jul 2017 15:56:00 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=3303]]>“And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, “Do not see,”and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things,prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path,let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”” Isaiah 30: 8-11, 15

We are comfortable in America. Oh, I know that we often get our hackles in an uproar at some of the injustice we see: racism, hatred, unfair practices, and the like. But if we truly look at what upsets us we find one central theme: Self.

In Isaiah, God advises the prophet to write down plainly that we are to follow ALL of His statutes, not just the ones that make us comfortable. We are going to get our toes stepped on; only because God loves us enough to not leave us in our sinful ways. He has prepared every word for us to live by and He means each word. Isaiah wrote, at God’s directive, that these words will “stand until the end of time as a witness that these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.” He is talking to us in the forever.

We go to church expecting to be blessed, but we seldom go to church expecting to be admonished. When the preacher starts preaching about the evils of alcohol, homosexuality, unclean living, gossip, and dedication to God, we sit in our self – righteous pews and think, “Well, I wonder who he is pointing a finger at in this one!” By the way, I praise God for the preachers and teachers who tell it like God wants it told rather than bowing down to our own desires. There are so few. We want our seers (preachers, pastors, teachers, friends) to stop seeing visions and stop reminding us of what is right. We want to hear nice things; we want to hear that it’s OK to stray from the straight and narrow, “God will understand, because He is a forgiving God” we say to everyone. We have the “right” to live in sin, because we have eternal life through the salvation sacrifice that we accepted through Jesus Christ.

My Bible says in Romans 6: 1 – 5, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

Salvation is not a free – ticket to sin. Isaiah also reminds us that God sees what we do and His reply is, “Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly…you will be smashed like a piece of pottery.”

We want our country to turn back to God and yet we are not willing to do what it takes to get America back on track. We pray for a leader who kneels and asks for God’s guidance each day, but then we quit praying and start doubting his every decision. We let fear take over instead of knowing that God has the bigger picture in place. Pray – Believe – Trust. We can’t let our own selfish ambitions, and this includes each of our heart – rendering concerns, to guide our relationship with God. We must constantly pray for our President, our Vice – President, our Congress, our Senate, our state and local leaders to make decisions based on communication with God. And we must trust God to hear and care.

The Word of God is given to us to pray through while we read. Read the Words each day and let the Holy Spirit guide those prayers. Speak the words aloud so that Satan knows you mean them. God knows the heart; Satan can only hear what we say. Can you imagine the power behind praying Isaiah 26: 1- 8 aloud for America, “In that day, everyone in America will sing this song: Our country is strong! America is surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation. We will open our gates to all who are righteous; we will allow the faithful in Jesus Christ to enter. And God, I know that You will keep us in perfect peace, because we trust in You and our thoughts are ever fixed on You! We will trust in You, always, Lord God. You are the eternal Rock for America. We trust You to bring down the strongholds of Satan and humble the proud, bring down the arrogant cities and build up the poor and the oppressed. Today, Lord, we commit to righteousness for your Name’s sake. We know that You are a God who does what is right, and you will smooth out the path before us. Lord, we trust you and we will show that trust by obeying your laws. Our heart’s desire is to glorify your Name. Amen”

“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel (and America), says, “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.”

We must hear. We must trust. We must kneel.

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/07/19/hear-it-like-it-is-and-kneel/feed/0heartnotesoflifePeople at the CrossJournaling 101: The end of day journalhttps://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/06/27/journaling-101-the-end-of-day-journal/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/06/27/journaling-101-the-end-of-day-journal/#respondTue, 27 Jun 2017 14:25:54 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=3287]]>I don’t know about you, but I have a lot in my head when I get ready to retire at the end of the day! I have found that if I take the time to open my journal and write some of it down, it clears the way for a good night’s sleep.

So what are some ways to get this pen moving? Here are some suggestions, but in the end, keeping a journal is personal and only you know how it can bring you to peace and quiet.

Use a journal that encourages you to think good thoughts. I keep a journal on my nightstand that opens up with a scripture on each page. I use that verse to start my thoughts about the day I just completed and I start writing. For instance, one verse recently was Psalm 119:2, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.” From that I started praying and writing, “Father God, I pray that You would set my feet on your righteous path each day. Guard my way from turning to the left or to the right. Protect me from falling into the traps that Satan sets for me and keep my reputation spotless that others will not be able to place blame. Keep my testimony pure that I might lead others to You.” As I prayed, little things came to me that needed to be let go so I wrote them down.

Don’t try to start a writing marathon right before you go to sleep; sometimes that only causes unnecessary worry about if you are “doing it right.” Again, there is no right or wrong way to journal. Sometimes my writing is as brief as , “Today was a really yucky day and everything I did seemed to turn out wrong! Tonight I will rest and tomorrow is a new day to get it right.”

I know that in today’s technological world, the temptation to use a tablet for your journal is great; at least it is for me. But I have found that when I do that, it not only stimulates my brain into wide awake status (studies have backed me up on this), but it also distracts me into other things I could be doing, like playing Solitaire! No, put the tablet down, pick up a pen and start writing.

This blog post is short and sweet, but that is what a night time journal entry should be; a release from pressure.

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

The Word of God is true, unchangeable, and written for all people yesterday, today, and forever. But the Bible, the pages themselves, is merely a guideline to what God wants us to understand as we read it. We get wisdom and understanding from the Words that we read by allowing the Holy Spirit inside of us to interpret each word.

My husband and I watched a TV show the other night that centered around a cult leader who had taught his congregation that homosexuality was the ultimate sin and that it was mandatory for a proclaimed lesbian to be cleansed from this sin by having a man from the congregation to rape her. Needless to say, this inspired quite a conversation between my hubby and me as to how someone could go so far in misinterpreting God’s Word. First of all, no sin is greater than another except in people’s eyes. Second, sin can only be cleansed through confession to Jesus Christ, one – to – One, and repentance (turning away from the sin through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside us).

Now, maybe you are thinking that I’m being simplistic, but as far as I, myself, am concerned, if how I live doesn’t align with listening to the Holy Spirit inside me as I read God’s Word, then something in my life is wrong. I try to live by my birth verse Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, then we must walk by the Spirit.” I can’t separate my Christianity from the way I live; they are one and the same.

The above is a pretty strong example of misinterpretation of the Scriptures, but it is no less wrong than some of the denominational examples we see on a daily basis. Man cannot make rules that either adds to or takes away from, God’s complete Word. As a Christian community we are called to pray for the Holy Spirit to interpret as we read and prepare to apply God’s Word.

After Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to the disciples, “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:19-22

I was raised in what I call a “Bapti-costal” family. There were several preachers both representing the Baptist and the Pentecostal beliefs. I can remember the family gatherings after church on Sundays and hearing the banter of beliefs. “You know you’re going to hell showing up in church with that red lipstick on!” “You know nothing I do can keep me from Heaven’s gate when I die!” “A guitar in church??? God forbid!” “Women can’t pray out loud, only men.” And on and on. Differences in beliefs. Differences in interpretations of God’s Word. Differences in allowing us to serve God in a way that we want to serve God and making everyone else feel guilty if they don’t serve as we do. That is not God’s plan. God’s plan is that we receive the Holy Spirit at our conversion, our believing in God’s plan for salvation through Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection.

Okay, I’m going to stop for a second and address “receive the Holy Spirit.” We are given access to the Holy Spirit the moment we accept Christ as our Savior. Nothing needs to be done to prove that we have the Holy Spirit. BUT!

I get excited when I receive those boxes from Amazon that are delivered to my front porch. But the real gift is still in the box. I have that gift in my possession, but it’s not doing what it was intended to do until I open the box and take the product out. Are you following me? We have a gift inside of us that opens the door to understanding God’s written Word. We will never misinterpret the meaning of the passage we read today if we first pray and invite the Holy Spirit to show us what it means. And that meaning will be different not just from person to person, but for one person from day to day. And that is why we know that our Bibles are living, breathing, Words from God for us throughout eternity. They will never grow old or unnecessary to read if we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us each time we open our Bibles.

The example I opened with is a television script. But think about all of the cults that have led people down the path to destruction. All because one person was using God’s Word as a book rather than the inspired, Holy Spirit interpreted, living, breathing, guideline for our lives.

Today, sit down, open your Bible and breathe in the Holy Spirit. Open that gift and use it for God’s glory.

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/06/09/gods-word-is-unchangeable/feed/0heartnotesoflifepreparing-sermonPrayer for our government: Psalm 53https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/05/11/prayer-for-our-government-psalm-53/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/05/11/prayer-for-our-government-psalm-53/#respondThu, 11 May 2017 13:50:38 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=3135]]>“God looks down from heavenon the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away;all have become corrupt.No one does good, not a single one!”

Psalm 53:2

Father God, I come to you this day with a heavy heart. Even though I know that all of this must happen before your return, Jesus, my heart breaks for the turmoil in the government of our beloved United States.

Father, we prayed and we fasted that the person that you wanted in office as our President would be elected and we trust that you honored that by convicting the Christian community to vote. I know that the battle that President Trump faces is a spiritual battle, but, Lord, I pray that he knows this as well.

Father, President Trump cannot wear his Christianity as a publicity cloak; it must be real. He must lean on you to save our country by directing @realDonalTrump in his every decision. He must awaken each morning with a prayer that you will direct his decisions. He must be in constant prayer throughout the day for his direction down the forks in his road of power. And he must trust you, Jesus, to fight for his decisions, knowing that he is following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

No, I do not know President Donald Trump’s heart, but you do. And I trust that you would not have allowed him to be in the position of the greatest country on earth if it was not your will. Speak to him, Lord, and keep him on the narrow road that leads to life. Release him from bitterness and anger, Lord, and fill him with compassion for those who are not being led by you. Teach him to pray for his enemies, Lord, and to seek their support through that prayer.

Lord, only you know if President Trump is using your wisdom or his own and we leave this in your capable hands.

Father God, You have placed Donald Trump into the leadership position of the greatest country in the world. My prayer is that he is leaning on You and your understanding for each of his decisions and that he confesses each sin daily. Fill him with your Holy Spirit when he wakes up each morning and release him from unhealthy pride. May President Donald Trump humbly pray as David did:

“O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.Fight those who fight against me.Put on your armor, and take up your shield.Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.Lift up your spear and javelinagainst those who pursue me.Let me hear you say,“I will give you victory!”Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.Blow them away like chaff in the wind—a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.Make their path dark and slippery,with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.So let sudden ruin come upon them!Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

Then I will rejoice in the Lord.I will be glad because he rescues me.With every bone in my body I will praise him:“Lord, who can compare with you?Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

Malicious witnesses testify against me.They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.They repay me evil for good.I am sick with despair.Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.I denied myself by fasting for them,but my prayers returned unanswered.I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,as if I were grieving for my own mother.But they are glad now that I am in trouble;they gleefully join together against me.I am attacked by people I don’t even know;they slander me constantly.They mock me and call me names;they snarl at me.

How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?Rescue me from their fierce attacks.Protect my life from these lions!Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.I will praise you before all the people.Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.They don’t talk of peace;they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.They shout, “Aha! Aha!With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

O Lord, you know all about this.Do not stay silent.Do not abandon me now, O Lord.Wake up! Rise to my defense!Take up my case, my God and my Lord.Declare me not guilty, O Lord my God, for you give justice.Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!Now we will eat him alive!”

May those who rejoice at my troublesbe humiliated and disgraced.May those who triumph over mebe covered with shame and dishonor.But give great joy to those who came to my defense.Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord,who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”Then I will proclaim your justice,and I will praise you all day long.”

Lord Jesus, I fall on my knees and cry out to You to be a constant reminder to our President that he has no power without You. I ask Lord, that his relationship with You is so tight that his every desire is directed by You. Bless him, Father, and lead him as he leads America.

Journaling can be very intimidating. After all, you are often putting into words your inner most thoughts, questions, and feelings. And that is why we are starting out a little slowly.

The mechanics of writing in your journal should be whatever you are comfortable with. They can be as simple as a composition notebook and a ball point pen, or as elaborate as a hard – bound journal and a monogrammed quill pen. I have several that I use and each serves the purpose of putting words to paper.

I actually used one of my open journal entries as the logo for HeartNotes of Life. This spiral notebook is where I write my everyday communication with God. I use the spirals to hold a ball point pen that has a clip on the side so that it fits nicely over the spirals on the top end of the notebook.

This notebook can be bought at most retail stores; I personally like to get mine at Michael’s Crafts; they sell many different kinds and are very reasonably priced You can usually find them on an end rack.

One type that I particularly like using (especially for the support groups I lead) is the one with the magnetic cover. The flap opens out, but, when closed, it stays shut for privacy.

The journals we’ve talked about so far can be used for your personal thoughts, communications with God, or sermon note – taking. They are small and easy to carry or slip into a Bible cover.

Another type of journal is the Prayer Journal. There are many different layouts for these; some incorporate daily devotions and other leads for prayers.

Some people are more comfortable writing in a digital journal. There are many available sites you can use such as the robust Penzu site. This site encourages journal entries for many different topics: Bible reading, dreams, prayer, pregnancy, and so on. If you, like me, are really comfortable with writing daily on a computer – based journal, then this will be your ideal! Just keep a small hard copy journal handy for those times when you don’t have your computer or tablet with you.

These are really the basics. Other than what type of pen/pencil/computer you will use, this should get you started. Next we will go into what generates productive journaling. What is your purpose for writing in a diary type journal and why is it important to write.

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/05/05/journaling-101-the-basics/feed/0heartnotesoflifecropped-heartnotesoflife_logo1.jpgSpiral notebook w penMagnet notebook-1Prayer journal -1To all our pastors and Christian leaders; we know, and we are prayinghttps://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/28/to-all-our-pastors-and-christian-leaders-we-know-and-we-are-praying/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/28/to-all-our-pastors-and-christian-leaders-we-know-and-we-are-praying/#respondFri, 28 Apr 2017 15:53:17 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=3005]]>I feel very strongly that our Christian leaders need to hear this right now. They face trials that we, as the congregation, may never know or ever want to know. But God does. I was praying for my pastor this morning and this song came on. I know that he leans on God when he is weak and trusts Him to be the voice that our pastor speaks from the pulpit. May God bless each of you as you prayerfully listen and share with your Christian leaders.

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/28/to-all-our-pastors-and-christian-leaders-we-know-and-we-are-praying/feed/0heartnotesoflifeJournaling 101: Therapy for MY heart, mind and soulhttps://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/14/journaling-101-therapy-for-my-heart-mind-and-soul/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/14/journaling-101-therapy-for-my-heart-mind-and-soul/#commentsFri, 14 Apr 2017 15:09:30 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=2974]]>Journaling 101: Therapy for the heart, mind and soul.Good day to all! I have always been a believer that people learn by example. I’ve tried to limit the words that I use with my children as they were growing up (and even as adults), knowing that they would only listen to so many rules and would always listen to the actions that my husband and I take in our everyday lives.

Having said that, I want to share a couple of examples from my own journaling over the past week. I pray that these writings will trigger thoughts in you that can be put down in your own Write to Life journal.

4/11/2017 Tuesday Sitting on the back porch swing

Thank You, Lord God, for this time that You have set aside for me to be alone with You. As I watch the scene in front of me – the squirrels running in the yard and up the trees, the birds flying to and from the feeder, the rain falling softly all around me – I am reminded of Your great love. I have done sinful, unmentionable, things in my life, but You loved me enough to keep calling until I answered with my whole heart, mind, and body. I am Yours, Lord Jesus, to do with as You will. I am loved. I can never repay all that You have done for me, except to walk sinless as possible before You. To confess my inner sins each day, and to bow in worship to You is my calling. I need no other. I am made righteous through Your great love. I am worthy as a daughter of the King. I am holy, because You are holy.

My Father God, what would You have me to do today? How can I share Your love with the world today? I don’t know exactly what it means, but I am Yours – heart, mind, and body. Where You lead me, I will follow. Where You send me, I will go. And when You tell me to stay where I am to wait for You, I will stay.

Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for trying to “make things happen.” I know that You are the only sure way and I give my very life to You. I will slow my steps to walk with You. I will be still and know that You are God. And I will listen for Your still, small, voice above the chaos of this world.”

Wednesday, I got a call that my brother was being air lifted to a hospital about an hour away and it was critical. Over the next two days, we watched as his brain activity slowed down and we expected the worst. We started prayer chains, but I honestly didn’t know how to pray except for God’s Will to be done. I spent most of Wednesday and Thursday at the hospital, but went home Thursday night to pray and to take care of my own health needs. Here is my journal entry for Friday.

4/14/2017 Good Friday Sitting on the back porch with the sun shining brightly all around me.

Our family saw yet another miracle today. For two days, we didn’t know if my brother was going to live or, at best, be brain impaired. This morning, Good Friday, he woke up at 4:30 AM and wanted to talk to his sons. Many Prayer Warriors were interceding for him, and I give God, and them, the credit, because I honestly did not know how to pray. I love my little brother so much, but to see him go through the trials that he has gone through his whole life, is hard to do.

But God is not finished with him yet and my prayer now, and always, is that my family would turn to Jesus, the Savior, Healer, and Redeemer. Speak to them, Lord, and cover each of them with Your saving Grace. In Jesus’ Name! Let them see that You alone were directing the doctor’s thoughts and actions when they didn’t have the answers. Show them without doubt that our brother is alive because of Your Healing Hands. Show Your glory in his healing, Lord. And bring them to salvation through Your cross. Amen

Sometimes my journaling just wanders. But as you can see, once you start, it’s like your heart takes over and speaks for you. That is where the healing power of writing takes place. It releases your inner thoughts and allows you to see and feel what you need to see and feel. I would like to suggest that you get a journal or diary in preparation for our next blog. This notebook doesn’t have to be expensive, but I would suggest that you get something that will be special to you. I get most of mine at Michael’s Crafts, they have a really good selection and they don’t take my grocery money to get one. Also, get a pen and a highlighter that you will use only for making entries into this journal.

Until next time! God bless,

Sheila

]]>https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/14/journaling-101-therapy-for-my-heart-mind-and-soul/feed/1heartnotesoflifeJournaling 101: Therapy for the heart, mind and soul.https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/12/journaling-101-therapy-for-the-heart-mind-and-soul/
https://heartnotesoflife.com/2017/04/12/journaling-101-therapy-for-the-heart-mind-and-soul/#commentsWed, 12 Apr 2017 14:47:05 +0000http://heartnotesoflife.com/?p=2914]]>I luv to write. But most of you who are following this blog know that already. (BTW, I spell it “luv” because I believe that we use the term “love” way too freely and for things that we wouldn’t necessarily die for. But that’s for another blog.)

I’m not really sure how many segments will be in this Journaling 101 series, but I assure you, there will be enough content for you accomplish three things:

Understand why you should journal.

Get a grasp of how to journal.

Open your mind to what to journal.

I guess I have always kept a journal in one way or another. When I was 10 years old I used to sit and write country songs that told my feelings at the time. I know you’re probably asking, what kind of feelings does a 10 year old have, right? Well, you would be surprised. I took the circumstances of my life, the disruption of my home life and turned it into a grown up version of betrayal and confusion. I even found an ad in one of my Mom’s “True Story” magazines asking for songwriter’s and I sent it in. Well, I got a refusal letter in the mail about a month later. Then I heard my song on the radio about six months later so that was the last time I went that route with my writing.

I would write poems and stories and hide them under my mattress, because the feelings in them were personal and I did not want to share them with anyone. As I grew up, I used writing as a way of managing the rejection that I felt most of my life. It wasn’t until I was divorced and raising a child on my own that I actually started organizing my thoughts into a sort of notebook. Don’t get me wrong, my writing wasn’t always the negative in my life; I wrote about my son’s first steps, first words, and first day of school. I also wrote about the day I met my husband of nearly 40 years and our first date. Writing in a journal is therapy for the heart, mind, and soul.

It’s not hard to get started writing, but it does take conscious effort. And there are many ways to journal. I have a friend who has been dealing with anger for quite some time and I suggested that he write down what he wanted to say to the person he was angry with, then tear the paper up, and throw it away. Just rip it up until there were just tiny, tiny, pieces of paper that look as if they have been shredded. The act of writing it down, for your eyes only, not only releases your anger into something tangible, but it also gets it out into the open where you can heal. I once read that unresolved anger is much like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It only hurts you.

Keeping a journal can be a way of offering praise for the blessings God has given to you. Just writing down five things a day that you are thankful for can help you keep your focus on the good in your life and enable you to live through the bad. Praising God is one of my favorite things to journal. As I do my devotions each morning, I ask the Holy Spirit to speak to me and as I write, He does just that. Sometimes I will start out praising God and then I find that my writing has changed to prayer for a particular person or situation.

Don’t force yourself to write one way or another. One thing I used to teach my high school English students, when they had a tough writing assignment, was to just start writing; the thoughts would follow. You can do the same with writing in a journal. There is so much to write about, for your eyes only. You are the person you are writing for; no one else needs to read it. And the beautiful part is, you can go back and read through what was written in the past. I had five miscarriages before I finally carried our daughter. I wrote of the pain of loss and the joy of birth. And I can see, now, how God had His arms around me all the way.

I call keeping a Journal my “Write to Life.” Happy, sad, needy, fulfilled, rejoicing with God, or angry with God. Writing is therapy for the heart, mind, and soul. Stay with me as we explore Journaling 101 over the next couple of weeks. And, if you have any specific questions about how to Journal, please contact me and we’ll write it through!